Josh Hamilton (shoulder) has been hitting off a tee but still hasn't progressed to any other significant baseball activities, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Hamilton (shoulder) has been hitting off a tee but still hasn't progressed to any other significant baseball activities, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Analysis:

At the very least, Hamilton's shoulder will likely keep him out through all of April. He's also facing a possible suspension for using drugs of abuse, with a final decision expected to come before Opening Day. While everything seemingly points in the direction of a suspension, the length of Hamilton's absence remains very unclear. A report from late February said he'll likely serve a suspension of at least 25 games, but it's also possible that Hamilton's proactive approach will cause MLB to treat him as a first-time offender, in which case the ban might only last 15-to-25 games. It's probably best to plan as if Hamilton won't be playing in games before late May or June.